By César Neto
The West African Country of Ghana experienced an important process of struggle during the month of September and the first days of October, and everything indicates that it will continue throughout this month. The reason for the demonstrations are the lack of jobs, inflation, and pollution caused by artisanal mining, also known as galamsey.
September mobilizations force environmental struggle
In the last three months, we have seen some important mobilizations in sub-Saharan Africa. In July in Kenya, in August in Nigeria, and now in Ghana. In Kenya, workers and poor people are suffering not only from the lack of jobs and wages, but also from skyrocketing inflation. This cruelty, which directly affects people’s lives, has turned into anger, struggle, and demands for “Out with Rutto”. In early August, inspired by the struggles in Kenya, Nigeria’s youth and popular sectors took to the streets against rising fuel prices, inflation and unemployment.
In September, for the third consecutive month, Africa experienced a new cycle of struggles in the Republic of Ghana. These three waves of mobilizations have some things in common: unemployment, inflation and demands for the end of their governments. But in the case of Ghana, there was an additional factor: the struggle to defend the environment.
The inclusion of the environment, even though there have been no major disasters in Ghana that approaches the catastrophe that have been the floods in Kenya or the droughts affecting crops in the Horn of Africa, is something new. The population has come out in defense of aquatic and human life.
During the month of September, there were two major mobilizations against artisanal or galamsey mining. The first was at the beginning of the month, when young activists and intellectuals took to the streets to protest against galamsey, but also against the deterioration of living conditions in the country.
The governments of sub-Saharan Africa are frightened by what has happened in Kenya and especially by the radicalization of youth. The demonstrations were violently suppressed. More than 50 young activists were arrested and will not be released until mid-October.
The second wave of mobilizations at the beginning of October, which lasted three days, was against poor living conditions, galamsey, and also for the freedom of political prisoners.
Dying rivers, dying hopes and illegal mining
Illegal mining is destroying the rivers of the Republic of Ghana, leaving more than 250,000 people without drinking water and at high risk for contracting disease. The population sometimes goes for weeks without water and is forced to use water with a high concentration of alum, a chemical used in water purification plants.
March against illegal mining on October 11
Osaberima Tsibu Kwaw Darko, Paramount Chief of the Denkyira Traditional Area, wrote to the President of the Republic of Ghana, Akuffo-Addo, stating that galamsey must be banned: “We will not sit and watch our water being destroyed; we will not sit and watch our children struggling to get good quality drinking water in the future.We do not have the money to import water from outside, so today we are telling the media that Osaberima Tsibu Kwaw Darko is calling for an embargo on galamsey; whether it’s small-scale mining or whatever, our water is more important.”
According to a study in the Health Sciences Investigation Journal, people exposed to the pollutants used in galamsey can suffer from various respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, and congenital diseases. These diseases are caused by the indiscriminate use of mercury, cyanide, lead, arsenic, iron, carbon monoxide, etc. But it is not only people who are affected, as forests are destroyed and family farms cannot grow crops due to pollution.
The #StopGalamseyNow campaign has gained a lot of traction on social media and is driving mobilizations against artisanal mining and the Akufo-Addo government.
A country destroyed by foreign debt
In 2002, Ghana’s parliament decreed the autonomy of the central bank (CB). The aim was to control inflation and return growth to the economy. In the ten years prior to CB autonomy, inflation averaged 28% and gross domestic product (GDP) was in the range of 1.45%.
The CB with autonomy set targets, and from 2003 to 2007 inflation fell to 10% and growth rose to 2.71%. The decrease in inflation and the increase in GDP were mainly due to a fiscal policy based on the reduction of taxes and government spending. The agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to implement the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative program also contributed. During this period, Ghana’s public debt fell from 58% of GDP in 2002 to 22.5% in 2007.
In 2008, with the end of the HIPC program, inflation began to rise again, and by 2021 the public debt had already reached 79.2% of GDP.
The autonomy of the Central Bank and the agreement with the IMF and the World Bank further depressed the country, increasing inflation and creating more unemployment.
The public debt and its consequences, as well as the impact of galamsey on life and health, are the basis of the two waves of mobilizations that took place in September.
Mining exploration and the economic crisis are putting the Akufo-Addo government in check
In order to meet the demands of the IMF and the World Bank, the autonomous central bank has imposed a continuous devaluation of the local currency, the Ghanaian cedi. In addition to the devaluation of the Ghanaian cedi, there has been an ongoing decline in the value of raw materials exported by semi-colonial countries. A 2003 OXFAM study found that “in 1975, a new tractor cost the equivalent of 8 tons of African coffee, but in 1990, the same tractor cost 40 tons.”
This combination of currency devaluation and falling commodity prices means that today “a ton of cocoa costs about $1,300, while a 4×4 vehicle is worth $120,000. So you need about 92 tons of cocoa to trade for a 4×4. But to harvest one ton, you need at least 8 hectares of land. The average cocoa farmer in Ghana owns only one hectare, which means he would have to work for more than 500 years to produce enough cocoa to buy a 4×4”.
As a result, exports bring in less and less money to the central bank and imports have become more expensive, causing inflation.
Akufo-Addo, the steward of the semi-colony
In his first term, Akufo-Addo gained popularity with the slogan “Ghana beyond aid”. But this popularity did not withstand the effects of the global crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. In 2022 and 2023, inflation exceeded 40%, press freedom was abolished, and the country that was considered the freest media in Africa fell to 13th place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. The repression of social movements has increased drastically, in part due to the repression of the struggle to defend the environment.
Under pressure from agreements to pay the public debt, Akufo-Addo has had to increase exports more and more. The control of gold production in any form of exploitation does not cross Akufo-Addo’s semi-colonial mind. He prefers to see environmental disasters increase and the suffering and struggle of the poor population. He has chosen the side of big international finance capital.
Akufo-Addo and his relationship with imperialist lobbies (The Coudert brothers)
Akufo-Addo, before his second term as president of the republic, had been the foreign minister and attorney general of the republic. His political training took place during the time he worked for the international law firm of the Coudert Brothers. This is a firm that for over 150 years (1853-2006) acted as international lobbyists, from defending private investors in the construction of the Panama Canal; advising the governments of Russia, France, and Great Britain in preparation for World War I; dealing with financiers, presidents, and ambassadors to resolve corporate ownership cases around the world; acting as confidential intermediaries for Allied arms purchases in World War I; and as interventionist supporters in World War II. Its client list includes major transnational corporations. Akufo-Addo has thus been trained by the most sophisticated bourgeoisie against national and workers’ interests.
The struggle continues
Organized Unionism, the banner under which various unions are uniting, has announced a national strike in the first half of October to demand an end to galamsey, the release of prisoners from recent demonstrations, and better living conditions.
The strike is expected to affect hospitals, schools, transportation, public services and the judiciary. If confirmed, the strike structured by organized labour will involve the Trade Union Congress (TUC); Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL); Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT); National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT); Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT); Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG); Judicial Services Staff Association (JUSAG); Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA); Ghana Medical Association (GMA); University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG); Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG); Technical Universities Administrators Association of Ghana (TUAAG), among others.
Building Independent Trade Union and Political Organizations
The challenge is immense. It is necessary to suspend the payment of the public debt, to nationalize mineral production, to end the autonomy of the central bank and, above all, to build a workers government without bosses and imperialists.
All this may seem like a nearly impossible task. But it is not. The first way is to help build new union and youth leaderships that are more militant than those who have led these organizations for years. It is also necessary to build a strong political organization that orients the struggles to the program of the Fourth International.
Article published in www.opiniaosocialista.com.br, 12/10/2024
